About the Eastside Leadership Class of 2009
These established and emerging community leaders were selected from a highly competitive pool of candidates to participate in LE's class, beginning in September, 2006.
Leadership Eastside is the next generation regional leadership development program, distinguished by a focus on enriching community leadership capabilities and building regional perspectives
The 28 members of the class live in 14 different Eastside communities plus Seattle. They come from the private, public and non-profit sectors, and are at varying stages of their careers. What they all have in common is a demonstrated leadership experience and the desire to expand their community leadership roles on the Eastside to help improve the quality of life for the Eastside region. The group was brought together for the first time on Thursday evening (August 17) at the North Creek Café located on the Cascadia Community College campus in a celebratory reception with more than 100 guests representing sponsors, the community and other supporters.
Class members will explore critical issues facing the Eastside and gain increased confidence and skill to act on behalf of the community good; greater understanding of and ability to influence regional and community issues; deeper personal, professional and community connections; and broadened knowledge of various facets of the Eastside community.
Class Kickoff Retreat
On September 21, 2006 the Class begins its year with an opening retreat. During the retreat, class members engage in a variety of activities, all of which steep them in the important issues facing our dynamic Eastside region. Examples of these activities include an Eastside Mayor panel discussion in a small group setting, a conversation with local business and not for profit leaders, as well as participate in Leadership Eastside's ongoing public Community Connections forum.
The class gets to see first hand how real community leaders grapple with and take action around complex issues, which assist them as they self select into teams and begin to identify their team project.
Becoming a Catalyst for Change
Class members will dedicate a full day each month from September through May by focusing on six community leader capabilities (sustaining stewardship, thinking holistically, valuing dialogue, envisioning possibilities, building community, influencing outcomes), with emphasis on becoming a catalyst for change.
Based on what they learn from the community and LE course materials, class members will select issues to tackle in small groups. The teams will work with advisors and community leaders to intensively explore and address a facet of the issue. Deliverables were presented to the class and community members on May 10, 2007.
Leadership Eastside's curriculum has been designed by a team of top organizational development experts in our community led by Annalee Luhman, Ph.D. Learning and Leadership Manager, Port of Seattle.
Leadership Eastside Sponsors
Leadership Eastside is supported by a broad array of Eastside businesses and organizations. Evergreen Healthcare is the 2007 Sustaining Community Leader Sponsor. Founding Sponsors include The Boeing Company, Symetra Financial, First Mutual Bank, Puget Sound Energy, the Cities of Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Issaquah, Evergreen Healthcare, The Seattle Times, Port of Seattle, Lake Washington Technical College, Group Health Cooperative, Safeco Insurance, King County Journal, Overlake Hospital Medical Center, Microsoft, The Seattle Foundation, and United Way of King County.